Shadow

Yay! A journal for Shad!
I guess i'd better start with a photo (there are many more in my barn):

About him (sorry its ridiculously long):

He's a Reg. Full Australian stock horse, though his sire was a TB. He was pretty much a paddock ornament for most of this life. When I was about..13..14 ish I sold my arab mare, I wanted to get into showing and she wasnt suitable. So, I had the choice of taking Shad (was then my mothers horse) and using the money for riding lessons, or putting the money towards another horse. I chose option with better value

So first came actually riding him, I was used to riding horses under 14hh, so 16hh coupled with some decent movement was a bit of a stuggle. I was chucked on the lunge line and we soon figured out I couldnt even trot on him

So, I had a private flatwork/dressage lesson once a week, which focused mainly on me and my position (major chair seat...like..im talking worst I've ever seen , hands moved, etc) and eventually I improved.... very...very slowly. Riding doesnt come naturally to me unfortunately. It didnt help that he's a really hard horse to ride, one of the hardest I've ridden to date id say.

So started going around to some shows, and despite my crappy riding we managed to do well... Our second ever show was a State ASH youth show, he won his led class. In the first year he got the high point score Led horse of our ASH branch. We got a few places here and there in the ridden stuff as well.

Eventually, improving very slowly, we placed more often. I got really, REALLY, nervous at shows, and everything just flew out the window, so I was never really happy with our results as I could have done better.

We did a bit of everything, from hacking to dressage to ASH working classes (managed to get a 3rd one time, didnt even do the roll backs properly haha) We had a go at Campdrafting...that was...interesting we even trained for an Endurance ride at one stage.

I stopped having lessons when Shad developed travelling problems, though I wont go into that. And I havnt had one since (really, really need some at the moment ) Though I think I've come a fair way on my own.

And that, in a nutshell, brings us to now. Im hoping to take him to a combined training comp in a month, though saddle fit has been a bit of a problem lately, especially since he's lost a bit of topline. I think ill just ride him in my stock saddle for a while untill he gets a bit fitter, it fits him really well.

Kudos to anyone who actually read that

http://www.youtube.com/user/mel545 My youtube channel if anyones interested. Theres a few videos of him. (Instead of watching them on my actual channel page, please go into the actual video if you know what I mean, when viewing them on my channel they always seem really sped up )

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